Chile mine operations withstand initial quake impact

Australian mining companies with projects in Chile appear to have largely withstood the earthquake that crippled large parts of the country but may still be affected by blackouts and transport problems.

Fears of the earthquake’s effect on global copper supplies sent the metal’s price flying.

Mining giant
BHP Billiton
, which has a 57.5 per cent stake in the Escondida copper project, the world’s largest copper mine, said its operations in Chile did not appear to have been significantly affected by the earthquake.

The quake, among the strongest yet measured, registered 8.8 on the Richter scale and struck on Saturday killing at least 700 people.

“All of our personnel are accounted for safe and well," a company spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman was unable to say whether electrical blackouts in Chile or problems with roads, railways and ports would effect production at Escondida.

Rio Tinto
, which has a 30 per cent stake in Escondida, said early indications were that its staff in Chile were unaffected by the earthquake.

Executive chairman of geothermal power company
Hot Rock
, Mark Elliott, said the company’s Chilean workers all seemed safe.